Karnataka constable suspended for drinking liquor on mosque terrace in Kalaburagi
Synopsis
A Karnataka police constable deployed to keep the peace in a village was caught on camera drinking liquor on a mosque terrace — and suspended within days. The case is the latest in a string of disciplinary actions against Kalaburagi-area police personnel, pointing to a deeper accountability problem within the force.
Key Takeaways
Constable Hanumantha of Mahagaon police station, Kalaburagi , was suspended on 10 October 2026 .
A video allegedly showing him consuming liquor on the terrace of a mosque in Harasuru village, Kamalapura taluk , went viral on social media.
He was deployed in the village as a preventive measure following a local dispute — and was reportedly on duty at the time.
Kalaburagi SP Adduru Srinivasulu issued the suspension order after a preliminary inquiry reportedly confirmed the alcohol consumption.
The case follows multiple recent suspensions in Kalaburagi and Bengaluru, including over bribery, information leaks, and drug-case dereliction.
A police constable attached to the Mahagaon police station in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, was suspended on Saturday, 10 October 2026, after a video purportedly showing him consuming alcohol on the terrace of a mosque in Harasuru village circulated widely on social media. The incident has raised fresh questions about discipline within the Karnataka Police, coming against a backdrop of multiple suspensions in the district in recent months.
What the Video Shows
The suspended constable has been identified as Hanumantha, posted at Mahagaon police station. Villagers in Harasuru village, Kamalapura taluk, allegedly recorded the video showing Hanumantha consuming liquor on the terrace of the local mosque. The clip spread rapidly across social media platforms, drawing widespread attention and prompting the police department to act.
Why Hanumantha Was in Harasuru
According to police, a dispute had broken out in Harasuru village, following which Hanumantha and other personnel were deployed there as a preventive measure to maintain law and order. The constable allegedly consumed alcohol while on active duty — a clear violation of police conduct rules. The sensitivity of the location, a place of religious worship, added to the gravity of the matter.
Departmental Action and Inquiry
Taking cognisance of the viral video, the department initiated a preliminary inquiry. The inquiry reportedly established that the constable had indeed consumed alcohol on duty. Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu subsequently issued the formal suspension order against Hanumantha.
Pattern of Suspensions in Karnataka Police
This incident is part of a broader pattern of disciplinary action within Karnataka Police. Earlier, a police inspector from Aland station in Kalaburagi, along with three constables, were suspended for allegedly accepting a bribe to release a seized vehicle loaded with black-market Anna Bhagya rice without registering an FIR. Separately, four personnel — including a Second Division Assistant, First Division Assistant, Section Superintendent, and Woman Head Constable — were suspended in August 2026 for leaking confidential information about the proposed creation of five new police commissionerates in Bengaluru. In December 2025, three inspectors from Kothanur, Avalahalli, and Bagalur stations in Bengaluru were suspended for dereliction of duty after an inter-state drug operation uncovered large narcotics stashes in their jurisdictions. Four additional personnel were also suspended that month for ignoring visitor complaints and unauthorised absence from security duties.
The recurrence of disciplinary incidents in Kalaburagi and across Karnataka signals ongoing accountability challenges within the force, and the department's response will be closely watched.
Point of View
Information leaks, narcotics negligence, and now communally sensitive misconduct — all within a tight window. That pattern suggests discipline failures are not isolated but structural. The department's consistent use of suspension as a response is visible action, but without a public account of follow-through — charge-sheets, trials, dismissals — it risks becoming a ritual of optics rather than a credible deterrent.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Karnataka constable Hanumantha suspended?
Constable Hanumantha was suspended on 10 October 2026 after a video allegedly showing him consuming liquor on the terrace of a mosque in Harasuru village, Kalaburagi, went viral on social media. He was on active duty at the time, having been deployed to the village to maintain law and order following a local dispute.
Who ordered the suspension of the constable?
Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu issued the suspension order after a departmental preliminary inquiry reportedly confirmed that the constable had consumed alcohol on duty.
Where did the incident take place?
The incident occurred in Harasuru village, Kamalapura taluk, in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka. The constable was deployed there as part of a preventive law-and-order measure following a local dispute.
Is this an isolated incident in Kalaburagi police?
No. This is part of a series of disciplinary actions in the district. Earlier, an inspector and three constables from Aland station were suspended for bribery, and four personnel were suspended in August 2026 for leaking information about new police commissionerates in Bengaluru.
What has been the broader pattern of police suspensions in Karnataka recently?
Since late 2025, Karnataka has seen multiple suspension waves: three Bengaluru inspectors were suspended in December 2025 for drug-case dereliction, four more personnel were suspended for unauthorised absence and ignoring complaints, and a fresh set was suspended in August 2026 for leaking confidential administrative plans. The Kalaburagi mosque incident is the latest addition to this pattern.
